The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-06-17

Y over again with melodious qersisteNcy
from the hazel copss across the roaA.
And Roxy stephens, sitting dolorouss
lysons the door-stone, with her chin
supported ia both hands, neither
I ,aw nor heard these sweet interpreta.
tions Of nature.
Up To certain degree there was
/ truthin hsr lament alton. Roxy had
been seventeen years old when she
rams 70 live with her aunt sally Step
hens on the Redbrook iarm. She was
i bright.haired, iresh-complexioned
i giri, with shady blue eyes. empha
]. sized by periectly arched brows =
thought heavier than falls to the
snsuaI lot.of womankind. They had
always been q secret grievance to her,
these black leech.like curves: but, had
;shs only known II, the dark, strongly
/ spaucilleda brows were what gave char
Y rom the insipiditty Of mere pink and
her mind corresponded to her eye-
broWa. There Was q quaint vein Of
originality pervadinR it. Her nature
Was strongly outlined, too, and In the
4 tullness OF her youth and vitality she
bad oSice believed thas she was born
to conquer tate.
oxanna Stephens WAS a city bred
girl, the daughter Of Miss sally's old.
est brother. who had died unexp cted.
4 ~, leaving 3 motherless girl totally
! unprovided for. Thus do people give
! mortgages to late, and dying, leave
others t0 forsclose on them. There is
undoubtedly . certain degree Of in
fustics In it; but who shall venture to
I carp against the Lords will? Miss
HAlly herself, q acompiaining little wom-
4 IN, with q lace full Of fine wrinkles,
like China Grape, and blue eyes hidden
behind misty spsctaeles, accepted the
trust, al she had accepted all the
other inconveniences OF her life, Imply
I and without protest. She had never
mad any strong emotions 0na way or
the other. II she had any active
pleasure II was In gathering the hum.
ble herbs and sinples OF her native
6elas and drying them in preparation
sfor the aches and pains that beset her
1 poor humanity. Its always we'll to
Sbs prepared, &, aaid she. II don thold
Nitb the homnpathies, nor yet /
ham Z no faith In calomel and mercury.
There amt nothin' like roots and
herbs, and every neighbor within ten
snliles around comes to me for 'em
1 when thUy v0 sickness in the house."
And to this little old brown woman
4 In 4 little old brown farm house came
Roxanna, the young princess who had
aet forth to conquer the world.
m desput glad you've come, Rox-
anner. said Miss Stephens. shifting at.
y bunch Of wiIted pennyroyal "Iain't
able to keep on doin2 as l hev been
saoin Somehow it's borne in upon me
that Providence has sent you. I've
now III just rest Q spell, and let you
1 keep house Tor me. hain't no doubt
at all but what we'll get along togeth-
I or iirst-rate, you and mi"
Roxy looked with solemn eyes at
her aunt. Evidently the old lady had
faith as = grain Of mustard seed, and
thsre was something contagious in
i hsrexanlple
Il must be very easy to keep
[ house, said Roxy. fresh from the
class-r pom and recitation.hall. So the
household helm was delivered int o her
hands, and then-not till then -she
realized thefact OF her exceeding ignor-
+ ance.
Not for worlds, however, would she
!, have confessed her inability to rule
4 tho domestic menaRe. Aunt Sally had
4 q profound contempt for "book-larn-
Z sin,' = and did not hesitate to assert
roundly that "ef brother Simon had
took her advice he would hev brung
npRoxanner in quite a different way" !"
md this girl had a certain silent pride
In vindicating her fathers iudg-
nrent. So. by the help Of
J edoe' 's.eared cookery book which she
found In the garret. she.learned some
Of the simpler secrets OF the cuisine,
and her own neat nature taught her
the mysteries Of sweeping and scrub
4 binK; while old Kinda, a jet black
negress, with grizzled wool and soft,
Appealing voice like flute, who pre-
SvAdsd the neighborhood, came twice
4 In d month to wash and iron for the
4 littls household.
.Jes what ole Hinda's good for"
/ said she; dat an muffin else. Missy
car do mos any but dar amt no
sense in Missy stan,in' at de wash
tub. Leave dat al. to ole Hinda."
And Roxy's spirits rose with her
! good luck
m getting to be q housekesper,"
|ssaid she. eteerily, to herself. @rhose
lfied fish this morning tasted quite
rood. and the wild plums that pre-
i sssysd yesterday are certainly going
~ ~ = success. =
But Tilt is always darkest jsst before
daylight, IL 10 also sometimes bright
+ ~ before an unexpected thunder
cloud. And one day old Hinda be-
L thought herself to feel ill oil Monday
morning Of rheumatic fever.
sIE Roxy vent to carry her a little pail
I mil md a stone crock Of the wild
4 plunls for Hinda had achildlike fond
- 1of sweets.
Hinda, !" she faltered. cant you
81 Tor me this weekf DO try
tlkere . good Hind !,
II lls Old woman rigyled herself about
her tjiieasy couch, wringing her
and rolling up the yellow
4 ghlta 1T her African eyebalts In pite-
& DuS insk5cn
lot djs ~ week, honey" she am,
y ~ J, plainti lively; mot for de Queen
4 a asI lIs royal chiliuns. No; ner
next N0sle. neid6r Don't knows as
FilsSber wash egin. honey, with q
monfnfuI croAk Iii her voice.
Roxysb cOuntenance ieli. But.
Hipda, = she pleaded. !. Aunt s;lr INIT
Able! to wash; and bead sAs
found q whole tnicket of Witch 9hhS1l
knYYtavharA IN the sfer0ek nd GhH